Focusing on Love

Welcome to February, which for me is the month of Love. I am especially heartened or possibly humbled to remember to invoke Love as we begin the Trump administration here in the USA, when I experience how deeply divided we are as a nation and a world community, when I consider the trauma millions (yes millions) of refugees must have experienced when they fled the middle east in 2016 and continue to experience now, and so many other devastating issues that affect our world’s people.

It can be equally challenging for me to invoke Love in my own daily life when someone makes a racial or sexist comment, when I empathize with an African American friend who is terrified for her son’s life, or when our bikes are stolen out of our secured garage….

It’s so tempting to want to harden my heart so I won’t feel the depth of the ache of sadness. Yet, diving into my emotions and connecting to my needs fully without resistance, is exactly what is most called for. It is through that connection that Love has an opening to appear – like a whisper or a soft beating of my heart. It’s strong but tender and I am utterly grateful for remembering that Love is a living energy in me and you and in all Life. My job is to remember it, be present to it, give it voice, and take action to demonstrate it when and where I can.

I can also celebrate Love’s presence in the many big and small ways that it shows up in my life. Most recently, the New Future Process for the Center for Nonviolent Communication (CNVC) that so many of us have worked on for nearly two years was ratified and, as of today, its leadership moves to the Implementation Council, whose job it is to shepherd it forward. I trust that the work of so many people will bring new life, possibilities and connections that are well beyond our imagination. It has been humbling and gratifying to work on this project. And, I can easily celebrate many, many more joys in my life.

My goal for this month is to focus on invoking Love where it’s easy to do so, and where it’s not so easy. And, to love myself even when I fall short of my intentions. I hope you’ll join me!

I close with a few words from Marshall Rosenberg, the founder of Nonviolent Communication, a segment from a poem he wrote in 1970 called, From Now On:

From now on, I choose to empathically connect with others

So that I can fully respect the unique and holy experience to be found in each person every moment. Marshall B. Rosenberg, 1970